Watercraft are typically powered by an internal combustion engine which has its output shaft arranged to drive a water propulsion device of the watercraft. These engines are well known and typically operate on a two or four cycle principle.
These engines include a fuel system. The fuel system includes a pump or similar means for delivering fuel to a charge former which introduces fuel into air for combustion within a combustion chamber of the engine. In many instances, the charge former(s) comprises a fuel injector. In that instance, the fuel pump delivers fuel to the fuel injector under high pressure, this fuel delivered through the injector to the engine when the injector is turned on.
The watercraft includes a fuel pump control which controls the pump, whereby the pump delivers fuel to the engine at a sufficient rate. In addition, a fuel injector control is arranged to selectively power each fuel injector to turn it on and off for delivering fuel to the engine at an optimum time.
The engine also includes an ignition system for firing a spark plug or similar ignition element corresponding to each combustion chamber. An ignition control is provided for controlling the timing of the firing of each ignition element.
In the above-stated arrangement, power is provided to the various systems by a battery or charging coil. Often, there is no main switch provided for shutting off the power to all of the systems of the watercraft. When the watercraft is of the personal variety, it may include a lanyard switch is arranged to shut of power to the fuel injector for stopping the engine when the rider falls from the watercraft. Also, an ignition stop or "kill" switch may be provided whereby the rider may stop the engine by disrupting power to the ignition system of the engine. When either the stop switch or lanyard switch is thrown and the engine is stopped, however, power is still disadvantageously provided to some of the engine controls, such as the fuel pump and fuel injector controls, and to the fuel pump itself. In that instance, the battery may be drained of power even though the engine is not running.
An improved watercraft engine control for an engine powering a watercraft which does not include a main switch is desired.